1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to optical fiber interconnection devices and, more particularly, an optical fiber connection system having angled optical connectors.
2. Description of the Related Art
Due to the sensitive nature of the core of an optical fiber, there is a need to protect an optical fiber from external sources of stress, such as bending, pressure and strain, which increase signal loss. For example, an optical fiber should not be bent sharply anywhere along its path. If an optical fiber is bent past a critical angle, portions of transmitted light pulses will not be reflected within the core of the optical fiber and will no longer traverse the optical fiber. These attenuated portions of light pulses result in signal loss and, thus, degradation of signal quality. Moreover, excess stress on an optical fiber may result in breakage of the fiber resulting in a total signal loss.
Presently, optical interconnection devices include optical connectors that are mounted perpendicularly within a panel. Such perpendicular mounting of optical connectors maximizes the total depth required to manipulate and disconnect an optical connector. In some cases, the total depth associated with a perpendicularly mounted optical connector may be such that a technician may bend an optical fiber while attempting to manipulate the optical connector. Such inadvertent bending increases the risk that an optical fiber will be bent past the critical angle, resulting in signal loss and degradation of signal quality.
Furthermore, present optical interconnection devices store optical fiber slack on a spool mounted to the bottom of the interconnection device. From the bottom-mounted spool, the optical fibers are routed upward towards each optical fiber connector within the device. In some cases, a technician may deleteriously affect an upward routed optical fiber while attempting to manipulate an optical connector. As such, bottom-mounted spools for storing optical fiber slack within an optical interconnection device increase the risk that an optical fiber will be bent past the critical angle, resulting in signal loss and degradation of signal quality.
These and other deficiencies of the prior art are addressed by the present invention of an optical connector assembly. In one embodiment, an optical connector assembly includes a panel having a plurality of apertures formed therein. A plurality of receptacles are respectively supported within the plurality of apertures. Each of the plurality of receptacles is adapted to communicate with an optical connector. In addition, each of the plurality of receptacles is disposed at an angle with respect to a plane of the panel, where the angle is less than 90 degrees.
In another embodiment, an optical interconnection device includes a housing having opposing side walls. A panel is mounted within the housing. The panel includes a plurality of apertures for supporting optical connectors. For example, the optical connectors may be disposed at an angle with respect to a plane of the panel, where the angle is less than 90 degrees. A spool is also mounted to one of the opposing side walls of the housing.